What happens if you do not get in off the waitlist at the UC. Every parent is concerned with where the stock market is , well 99% of parents, it does seem like you want both parts of pie, you applied ED and you and your parents took that leap knowing what it meant and it may have been the reason you got in and someone else did not. It does not sound like a parent has lost a job, it is one thing to worry about their investments and another to say, how there is no way we can now pay this bc of x. Also a college is not gonna care about your brothers college education. Harsh perhaps but true. I really think you need to have a chat with your folks, and right now there is no seat for you at the UC, what happens if you do not get off the waitlist?